Li Xianyun, after giving Bater his instructions, took the woman onto the carriage, with Zhuo Ma driving from outside, while Youlan kept Li Xianyun company inside the carriage.
Bater knew that Khan had assigned many people to covertly protect the princess's safety. His presence wouldn't make a difference, so he did not follow but devoted himself to carrying out the princess's orders.
The carriage arrived at the northernmost settlement of Tianshui County. Unlike the orderly and spacious houses in the county center, the roads here were pitted, and the people's dwellings were tattered and torn. Walking on the narrow roads, a putrid stench lingered long in the nostrils.
The road was uneven, with the carriage wheels sinking in and then coming out, over and over again, making the ride terribly bumpy.
The child in the woman's arms was jolted awake, pouting before his eyes were even open, and the next moment he began to cry with his eyes closed, looking extremely adorable.